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Fortel Nijjer announced a new strategy to increase workforce diversity by 25% by 2025

Fortel, A leading supplier of labour to the construction industry has set out a new strategy to increase workforce diversity by 25% by 2025.

Amar Sandhawalia is leading Fortel's diversity drive
Amar Sandhawalia is leading Fortel’s diversity drive

At Fortel, minorities already make up the majority, but this doesn’t necessarily make it diverse.

Nearly two-thirds of Fortel’s workforce comes from minority ethnic backgrounds so its diversity drive is focused on getting more women, more disabled people and more people with minority sexual preferences and/or identities (LGBTQ+) into the company.

It will also assess the background of existing employees to determine scope for greater diversity within the 60% of the workforce that is from a minority ethnic background.

Fortel supplies more than 2,000 staff to infrastructure projects with major contractors across the UK. It turned over £117m in 2019.

It has made a five-step pledge towards boosting diversity in its ranks.

To support its goal of increasing workforce diversity by 25% by 2025, it has launched a diversity & inclusion (D&I) training and assessment scheme, set up a D&I steering group and is planning quarterly D&I events. There is also a work placement initiative for people from under-represented demographic groups

Chief operating officer Amar Sandhawalia said: “We have always put great emphasis on the importance of diversity and inclusion.  2020 was a year where calls were made far and wide for progress – from industry associations and business leaders to education bodies and eminent individuals – but we do believe that we are at the start of a change in attitude and culture.

“We want to lead from the front in this and play our part in creating a more diverse talent pool, the impacts of which will be transformative for the industry.”